First Light to offer dairy subscriptions for organic products in Buffalo

First Light Farm & Creamery, the East Bethany goat farm and cheesemaking center, plans to expand the local definition of community- supported agriculture in May by offering cheese, yogurt and milk subscriptions.

The organic dairy products will be waiting for customers in coolers at existing First Light retail locations in Buffalo and Rochester, said cheesemaker Trystan Sandvoss. That’s milk and yogurt from Jersey cows, plus cheeses from both cow’s milk and First Light’s own goat herd – all produced in Genesee County.

“We started our dairy share because we wanted to give Buffalonians the opportunity to easily source local, organic, pasture-based dairy products,” Sandvoss said. The cream-topped milk and yogurt will be for subscribers only, not retail customers, Sandvoss said. The cow’s milk comes from Grassland Dairy in Pavilion, about three miles up the road from the First Light goat farm and dairy product facility.

The share options, detailed at first-light-farm.com, include one distribution a week for 13 weeks. The full share – including a gallon of whole cow’s milk, 32 ounces of organic cow’s milk yogurt and 6-8 ounces of First Light artisanal cheeses, runs $17.50 per week. That’s $225 all told.

The cheese share costs $5 a week for a package of First Light cheese, like fresh goat’s chevre or cow’s milk jack. The packages, 6 to 8 ounces, usually retail for about $16 a pound.

In the Buffalo area, the share program will include Premier Gourmet in Amherst, Farmers & Artisans in Williamsville, Ashker’s on Elmwood in Elmwood Village and Elm Street Bakery, 72 Elm St., East Aurora.